BSNL to go ahead with WiMAX roll-out in Guj, Maha, AP

State-owned BSNL's plans of rolling out WiMAX services in Gujarat, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh through its tie-up with Soma Networks is on schedule, the telecom operator affirmed. Recently, some media reports had stated that tenders for these three states had been cancelled alongwith other states.

"There were some recent media reports of WiMAX tenders being cancelled in Gujarat, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh but we are very much going ahead with our plans. Soma Networks had won the bids and have tied up with us for the roll-out in these three states. In fact, we have already registered over 600 subscribers for the mobile WiMAX services in Gujarat alone," said BK Sinha, general manager - broadband for BSNL Gujarat circle.

Similarly, Soma Networks as well has clarified that tenders for these three states have not be cancelled. "There had been reports of WiMAX roll-out by BSNL being aborted in states of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. However, we have not received any such intimation from the telecom operator and the plans are on the track. We have already installed 25 base stations in Gujarat and are in the process of installing more soon," said Mayur Tanna, vice president - sales and marketing, SOMA Networks Software Engineering Private Limited.

Moreover, Soma Networks will be investing around $ 80 million (Rs 400 crore approx.) in Gujarat. The company had begun offering mobile WiMAX products through state-owned BSNL's broadband service networks in Gujarat since February.

So far, SOMA Networks has invested about $ 50 million (Rs 250 crore approx.) in Gujarat and has set up around 30 base stations on BSNL's network. The company, which saw a revenue of Rs 7 crore for the financial year 2008-09, is expecting to earn around Rs 50 crore from Gujarat by end of fiscal 2009-10. Tanna added that the further investment will also be used to take the total number of base stations in Gujarat to 300 by end of the fiscal.